In The Now
by heartlessromantic667
Summary: What would the characters of That 70's Show be like in present day? This is my take on each main character's life in the 2000's, short chapters, rated T
1. Jackie Burkhart

_**Author's Note: New story, very short story (multi chapter though) one I had written in my phone that I wrote on the mornings as I rode to school... and my phone is now finally working so I'm going to be posting these while it still has battery life (charger not working, it sucks), it was an idea that struck me while I was sleeping. What would the gang be like today? So, I decided to write this. The chapters will be really short, but I hope you enjoy!**_

**_Oh yeah, for all who saw me post that thing about the YouTube video. If you're interested my username on youtube is heartlessromantic667, just type it in and you'll find it. I only have one video up right now- but more to come lol._**

**_Hope you like this story!_**

**_Love,_**

**_Angie_**

* * *

Jackie Burkhart giggled as she sped down the highway in her white convertible, blaring her new Lady Gaga cd. She had to drop off her cheerleader friends before going over to the Forman's basement to hang out with Michael. She absolutely hated going there, even though it was for Michael. All the guys did was play their stupid Call of Duty- Modern Warfare 2 video game, watch stupid TV shows on Comedy Central, or smoke their pot. That was all Steven Hyde's fault, the freaky poor kid who somehow became friends with Michael. Sure they knew each other since first grade, but Michael could do so much better!

"Thanks for the ride, Jackie!" Allison Merril called, waving as she stopped at her large almost mansion. But it wasn't as big as her house. Jackie gave the princess wave and blew a kiss before speeding off down the road. She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, and she sighed, pulling out the BlackBerry Pearl, and smiled at the text.

'Oh sweet Michael,' she thought as she read the abbreviated message, "_where ru?" _As she turned down the street, she quickly typed, not paying attention to the road, _'just dropped alli off bby headed to bment now luv uuuu! 3' . _She set her phone on her lap once more, expecting a text from Michael, as she belted out the words to _"Bad Romance",_ she loved that song so much.

She basked in the warm spring air, her curly raven hair flowing free in the wind. She hoped to get a tan before Saturday, because of the prom, yet it was already Friday, and she would either end up going to the salon, or buy a bottle of spray on. The salon would be easier, and look more real, since she needed her hair done, plus a mani/pedi combo. But it would cost more. Jackie burst out laughing at that though; money didn't matter to her! She had her daddy's credit card! He was rich and would give her as much money as she wanted!

Jackie grimaced as she pulled up to the Forman's house, carefully she parked her pearly convertible next to Michael's red SUV. Opening the door, she pressed the lock, waiting to hear the beep before she ran to the side door. Jackie had a wide grin on her face, so excited to see her Michael, and didn't even notice or look back, or apologize to Steven Hyde as he skulked to the door, only to have it slam in his face.

'Freak,' she thought, zipping into the kitchen and to the basement stairs.


	2. Michael Kelso

**_This one doesn't really need an Author's Note. :D_**

**_Love,_**

**_Angie_**

* * *

Michael Kelso closed his top locker and felt a tap on his shoulder. Taking out his iPod earbuds, he turned around and smiled at the extremely sexy Pam Macy standing behind him.

"Hey babe," he murmured, kissing her cheek. She grinned and goosed him as she giggled quietly, his hormones grew wild at her touch. Glancing down the hallways, he made sure no one was looking as he bent down to kiss the gorgeous blonde passionately. He had to watch out for Jackie the most, but if his friends saw him making out with another girl again, they'd freak. And Jackie would be skipping up to him at any time, and he didn't want her to see this. Though he wouldn't be missing Pam too much. They had been sexting non stop all day, the best pictures was under her skirt, and no panties. Getting that in history class only made his day like 20 million times better. He was tempted to Facebook it, but decided not to humiliate her. Instead he saved it in his iPhone, to keep for all time.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" She whispered to him, breath hot on his neck as they spotted Jackie running down the hall way, talking to one of her friends animatedly on her Blackberry. He gave a quick nod and Pam quickly snuck into the library, the door right next to his locker. Jackie panted as she finally neared him, her black hair pulled back in a messy ponytail. He loved it when she was just out of cheerleading practice, she looked so hot in her uniform.

"Hey baby," he cooed, kissing her neck as she burrowed into him for a hug. "You ready for tonight?" he asked her quietly after kissing her heatedly. She nodded then her fingers tapped away furiously as she texted someone. Slight curiosity consumed him, yet he didn't really pay any mind to it. He didn't have to worry about her cheating on him.

"More than ready," she answered sweetly, wrapping her arms around his waist. Kelso smiled softly, and lead her out of the school, hand in hand. "Do we have to take your car?" Jackie asked him, he rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"Well yeah, Jackie, because I wanna drive!" Jackie huffed and stomped to the passenger side of his SUV, already angry. It barely took him anything to piss her off nowadays. She didn't trust him as much, which really sucked. Then again, she had seen a text from Pam. And Laurie. And a few other girls from school. So she sort of had reason, but still he didn't see why she had to be so PMS-y. When he glanced over at her and saw her stone cold expression, he sighed and plugged in his iPod, the sound of Fall Out Boy filling the speakers.

"Pete Wentz is so sexy," Jackie chirped, trying to make him mad. Kelso scowled and sped out of the parking lot of the school, almost screaming the words to "This Aint A Scene". He looked into the lot before leaving completely, and saw Eric and Donna making out on his station wagon. That thing was sick, how could he end up getting one of the hottest chicks in school? Though the station wagon was a reliable way of getting around.

He heard Jackie sigh and he rolled his eyes, paying attention to the road. He jumped when she began to run her hand up and down his thigh; his breathing grew heavy. He bit his lip and tried his best to stay calm, but it was so hard.

"Jackie," he whined, "That's just gonna make me horny," she gave him a look and began to laugh, now massaging his leg.

"You're always horny," she reminded him, he laughed and shrugged his shoulders. She was right. "And," she whispered seductively, "maybe that's what I wanted."


	3. Fez

**_Hope you guys are enjoying this... it's sort of a nice break from HICTB, but that one is still in the works in my notebook I'm not putting it off :D. I think the next chapter will be up tomorrow... _**

**_Love,_**

**_Angie_**

* * *

Fez sat on the golden couch in the Forman's basement, growling in frustration as he angrily pressed the buttons on the Xbox controller. The combats were in a very difficult battle in Modern Warfare 2, and he was about to die, with no help from Eric.

"Eric you sonofabitch help me or we are screwed!" Fez squeaked, then huffed as Eric just shrugged his shoulders and continued on the battle, while taking a sip from a can of root beer. How he could handle doing all of those things at once confused Fez; then again he probably played this game much longer than himself.

Fez whined as his stomach growled with hunger, his eyes averted to the pack of Twizzler ropes on the coffee table. He felt his mouth water and he bit his lip, trying to concentrate on the game, yet his sweet tooth was driving him insane. He couldn't help it, his hand reached over and pulled out two twizzlers, and poured a handful of Mike and Ikes, forgetting about the game. Gun shots filled the room and Eric started laughing at him as Fez's character fell to the ground, dead, and patted his back. How Eric could do all of that while still playing, Fez couldn't understand. He glared at the large flatscreen television with cold eyes; he was very hurt.

"Well then," he growled, standing up suddenly, piling all of his candy in the Wal Mart bag he stored it in. "Eric, I see you are too preoccupied to care about me." Fez began to stomp away, yet paused at the door in the basement, waiting for Eric to notice he was leaving and say, "but Fez." Yet finally Eric momentarily glanced up and grunt and nod in response before clicking away on his controller. "You sonofabitch," he whimpered, angrily bolting up the stairs. Fez was very hurt, and very angry; his lower lip trembled as he felt for the first time since meeting Kelso, Forman, and Hyde, unwanted.

"Where you going, Fez?" A low gruff voice was heard in the shadows, and the heavy smell of cigarettes filled his nostrils. He knew at once it was Hyde.

"Home," he answered shortly, even though Hyde didn't deserve his anger, he was the only one who was there to talk to him though.

"But Fez, I just-"

"I SAID GOOD DAY!" Fez screamed, then scampered off into the night, feeling a little bad about Hyde, but more happy that he got to finally say his famous words.


	4. Eric Forman

_**Author's NOte; Hello all! I know I haven't updated this story in forever... and I intend to, I'm just awful at updating more than one story. My main focus is my Hyde story, so I'll space off a lot of other stories I'm working on, which sort of sucks. But on the plus side, we have a new chapter for this one, so woot! And no, it wasn't on my phone, it's in a notebook this time, the rest of them will be as well, so they'll probably be a little longer. Not that the first three weren't as important, cell phones just give you 150 characters to type in notepad, not words. And it sucks. I'm thinking about doing a story with them in the 2000's, not like this, but with like a plot. So maybe this is a preview for the main characters? Yeah, I guess you could call it that. Anywho, I'm done rambling, and I hope you enjoy!**_

_**Love,**_

_**Angie. **_

* * *

Eric smiled, waving his hand as his girlfriend crossed the street to her house. He was o glad to have her live right next door, it made things a lot more convenient. Like gas prices. He turned and entered the sliding glass door, to find his older sister Laurie listening to her iPod and tweeting on her cell phone, and his dad browsing the internet for national news on his laptop.

"BP shouldn't have put those damn drills in the ocean anyway, who else but a money crazed nation would think to drill for oil in the ocean? Dumbasses," Red grumbled, taking a sip from his tea. Kitty laughed as she filled the dishwasher, unsure of what else to say.

"Hey dad, can I use that after you?" Slowly Red turned to face his son with a blank expression.

"Did I pay for your new flatscreen XP so you could use my laptop, and not play your stupid World of Witchcraft-"

"Warcraft!"

"Warcraft, witchcraft... whatever games? No! Go use the computer upstairs."

"But I have to talk to my Le-"

"If you call Donna your Leiah one more time, I'll give you such a swfit kick in the ass that your brain will finally register that Luke and Leiah are siblings!" Eric lowered his head, still in denial over the issue.

"Fine then," he huffed, "Anakin and Padma-"

"So now you wanna be Darth Vader now, huh?" Since when was his dad such a Star Wars fan?

Eric decided that he didn't want to argue on the issue anymore, so he quietly slunk out of the kitchen. He scrolled through his Droid and quickly texted Donna back with 'I'll b on in a min' and ran upstairs wildly, knowing that though Luke and Leia were brother and sister, Donna would always be his Leiah.

Opening the door to his room, he flicke don the light and grinned, he seriously loved his room. His computer glowed, a Word document was still up-his report on the Civil Rights Movement of the 60's. Sometimes he wished he lived in those times; you could probably get away with things so much easier.

He sat down at his desk chair and double clicked on his Firefox shortcut, and Windows Live Messenger also popped up. Eric hadn't been on Myspace or Facebook for a couple days, adn he hadn't checked his Youtube account in a week! He was always busy; either with friends or Donna, and soemtimes he wished for his alone time on the net.

'Hey hon!' Donna typed on Windows Live, a chime announcing her IM. 'I miss you already!' he smiled at that.

'I miss u too,' he quickly keyed, 'what's up?'

'Mom just called from Cali, and dad is being super annoying, he's freaking out because he saw Tina w/ a guy in her class, they were studying... I checked.' Eric chuckled, but temporarily minimized the conversation to check Facebook. Once he browsed his most recent news, he was a bit annoyed with Fez and Kelso's stupid notifications about Farmville and Super Pets. Why did they play those games? He quit a year ago... when he started dating Donna. But secretly he still did play Runescape with Fez... nothing could take that away from him.

'Sounds fun *sarcastic*, I avoided a Red rant bout BP' he quickly typed to her, now hiding Jackie and Kelso's conversations of love turned into hiding that always popped up on his News. 'You feel like sneakin out 2nite?' he asked Donna, then waited for her to type back- Twitter time.

'Sure sounds cool, sounds like Hyde's finally rubbing off on you? :P lol just kidding!' Eric rolled his eyes at that.

'No, cuz he hasn't in a year, remember curfew?' Eric still felt bad that his parents couldn't have taken his best friend in when his mom left. Being in a group home probably sucked, yet it helped him a lot in school.

'Yeah I know, but anyway, what time you wanna?' Donna replied, Eric scrunched his face as he thought about it.

'1?'

'Sounds good! Meet you by the Buick, but I gotta go. I love you, Eric!'

'I love you too Donna' He waited until Donna to sign off before he opened his Word document, he seriously needed to work on his paper... this thing was due tomorrow. Then he grabbed the remote for his stereo system and pressed paly, his Linkin Park CD paused; the subwoofers made the volume extra loud today, it seemed... not that he minded. This technology was something the people of the 60's didn't have, and that made him feel like a lucky man.

"Ha!" he cried to no one as he began typing away on his essay; ignoring the fact that he had to wait four hours to see Donna, and also the link to Runescape minimized on his browser.


	5. Donna Pinciotti

**_Authors' Note: I figured this one would be a lot easier for me to update rather than my main story because, well for one I'm about to pass out with exhaustion, and also I'm stuck halfway through the next chapter of HICTB. I hope you enjoy this, I had a bit of a problem coming up with it, and I hope it's all right._**

**_Oh yeah, just thought I'd let you know, that some of these are actually excerpts from actual chapters, well, all of these are actually. But they're shortened and not as detailed... the rough draft version. _**

**_Love,_**

**_Angie._**

* * *

Donna Pinciotti broke the hungry lip lock that she had with her boyfriend, Eric Forman. Heart a flutter and mind racing, she quickly shook her head, and turned her head, so he wouldn't try to continue their heated make out session.

"What was that for?" He asked, Donna chuckled, cheeks flushed bright red, as she glanced to her side; a heavy stack of text books and notebooks seemed to glare at her, and he grimaced.

"As soon as we get this done, we can continue, I promise."

"What. Ever." He teased, pretending to pout. She giggled, flipping through the pages of her pre-calculus book and heard Eric sigh as she found the correct page.

She'd rather be working on her journalism paper, or her English essay, but she had to get her least favorite subject over with first, it was her order of things. Clicking her mechanical pencil, she exhaled quietly, and glanced up at her boyfriend, who still had a trembling lower lip that was supposed to distract her.

'No,' she thought, and rolled her eyes at Eric, he was a goofball, but that's exactly why she loved him.

"Eric, we seriously need to get this done." Donna pressed, he nodded hesitantly and searched the coffee table for his long forgotten homework. "Okay, for number 32, we need to Find the critical number of the function- g(t) = | 6t - 9 |t =..." Donna trailed off, and had to suppress her giggles at Eric's incredulous look. "What?"

"How can you concentrate?" Chuckling at his question, Donna gazed adoringly in his eyes and he just stared back, still trying to silently convince her to continue their half hour of very passionate kissing.

'Maybe another fifteen minutes wouldn't hurt, but after that...' she thought, beginning to lean in. The grin on his face was absolutely priceless as she softly pressed her tingling lips to his once more. For some reason, she loved him.

Just a few moments later, she was lying down on the couch, with Eric attacking her neck. She was so glad that now after six months of dating, his ability to kiss and make out had changed drastically; she probably enjoyed it more than him... but then again, he was a 17 year old boy. As she began to lift off his shirt, much to his excitement, she felt her cell phone vibrate in her front left pocket of her jeans.

"Kinky," Eric teased, Donna laughed ever so softly yet tilted her head away as she dug in her pocket, more to see the time than the text. She was punctual... when fifteen minutes was over and he was still trying to get in her pants, she'd literally push him off of her, and onto carpeted floor of the basement.

"Eric, stooop," Donna whined as she scrolled through her messages, most of them from Eric, to try and find the most recent.

"Come on!" He begged, sticking out his lower lip again, with puppy eyes.

"Hold on, it's from Hyde," she mumbled, Eric rolled his eyes and sighed, but she knew how rare it was for the other boy to text let alone use a phone at all. Either something really good happened, or something really bad... and she had a feeling the 17 year old at his group home wouldn't have anything too joyous to share. He never did.

Eyes scanning the short, to the point text, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped in shock.

"What does it say?" Eric finally asked, she shrugged her shoulders, her heart pounding rapidly in her head. "You look like you were sent a picture of Kelso naked."

As she read it again, the news seemed even worse than the first time she read it.

_'Bud's Back.'_

With a slightly shaking hand, Donna handed her phone to Eric, who quickly read the text, she saw the uneasiness he was feeling in his facial expression too.

"What do we do?" Donna finally asked, Eric sighed heavily, running his hands through his mop of dark blonde hair. As Hyde's two closest friends, it was up to them to figure out what the hell to do. What did it mean for Hyde? Would he be out of the group home?

"I think I should tell my parents." Donna nodded, entwining her fingers with Eric's as the couple stood up.

"I'll go with," she murmured, he smiled and kissed her temple, Donna relaxed at the innocent, calming gesture, and snuggled into her boyfriend. All she needed was him to know that things were going to be okay. As the two of them walked up the carpeted stairs to the main floor, Donna quickly texted with one hand back to Hyde, unsure of what to say except, _'Don't run again.'_


	6. Steven Hyde

_**Author's Note: Last one before I actually do this story, which will take a long time. I'll probably post a bit of the plot up to keep people interested. **_

**_PS: I think you should listen to the song I mention. It's a good song. Not too hard rockish, no screaming. It's a good song, I love it :). Very fitting._**

**_Love,_**

**_Angie._**

* * *

Steven Hyde glared through his aviator sunglasses from his group home manager, Mark, to the surprise guest of the evening; Bud Hyde. It would be one thing if his druggie whore of a mom showed up, but the fact that his abusive, alcoholic, poor excuse of a father actually had the courage to show his face to his long forgotten son made Hyde want to tackle the guy and beat him until he passed out. He knew exactly what the two had talked about in Mark's office.

"Steven, I know this will be hard for you, but your dad has really changed since before he left, and he wants to be a part of your life." He just stared, silent at the two, not able to believe what he was hearing. He was seriously going to get sick. But he had a plan.

"Okay," he mumbled, checking his phone as the two older men talked. He quickly scanned over Donna's text on his old, beaten up second hand phone, and smirked; she read his mind exactly.

"It's settled then, for two weeks you'll move back in with Bud, and by the end of the two weeks, you will both report to us as well as the court how it went." Hyde nodded, trying so hard to stay silent. As much as he hated this place; his kleptomaniac, probably schizophrenic roomate especially, he'd rather deal with Tweak rather than an hour with Bud. "You can go to your room and get your stuff."

Hyde turned from the commons area, to the stairs which led to his room, third on the right. At least he didn't have too much stuff, especially since Tweak stole half of his belongings and claimed them as his... which is where his old phone- a razor, went. Opening the door, he quickly tossed his blue back pack on the bottom bunk of the bed, ignoring Tweak's loud complaints of using his bed. Shoving the three shirts, two paints, socks, and boxers in the bag, Hyde zipped it up and slung it over his back.

"Don't tell them I left," Hyde growled to the fourteen year old, who nodded as he worked on his two week late homework. Hyde walked to the window, and lifted it open; thankfully there was an inclined roof where he could walk on, and have a safer landing. Knowing Tweak was watching, Hyde climbed out of the small wooden window and quietly shut it, then carefully walked along the roof until he got to the gutter, where he jumped from the second story, about 15 feet.

After he landed, Hyde glanced around before bolting towards the driveway with five cars, Mark's Alero, the older kids who were there, and his car, a 1987 El Camino- old, but awesome. Quietly he shut the door and turned on the car, hoping it wouldn't be loud enough for them to hear. Hyde quickly adjusted the volume on his stereo, one he installed himself, with two 15" subs. Before anyone would catch on of his running away, Hyde sped out of the driveway and down the block, one destination in mind.

No way in hell was he going to live with Bud. The asshole put both his mother and him through hell for eight years of his life, then left them without a word one night. Now he finally came back asking to take guardianship? That was bull shit, Hyde seriously thought Mark was smarter than that.

Scowling, he turned up the volume on his stereo, his new Breaking Benjamin CD blasting through the speakers. _'Take a breath, hold it in, start a fight; you won't win. Had enough, let's begin; nevermind, I don't care. All in all, you're no good. You don't cry like you should. Let it go if you could, when love dies in the end...'_ the strong vocals and bass of _"What Lies Beneath"_ poured through the car. At least they could relate.

Turning passed High Street, he ran a red light and quickly swerved onto Slaughterhouse Way, he still smirked at that name, and cruised the streets at 45 miles an hour... slow for him.

Within five minutes, he reached the house he was looking for, and as soon as he turned off the car, the red headed girl and her boyfriend, who was his best friend since early childhood came rushing outside. Eric stared at him, confused, while Donna looked worried, he felt that he actually mattered for once.

"Dude, Hyde, what are you doing here?" Eric asked, Hyde scoffed, stuffing his hands in his hoodie pockets, where he played with his carton of cigarettes, wishing so badly that he could smoke right now.

"I dunno..." he murmured, Donna stepped forward.

"Please don't tell me you're going to run again?" She asked, yeah, he remembered when he ran away for a month, lived in Kenosha on the streets or sometimes in a house if he could break in. That was hell for everyone.

"'s my plan," Hyde replied, which earned him to slugs on the arms from both of his friends.

"No way man!" Eric cried, Hyde rolled his eyes, leaning on his sleek black car, his old Vans now had tiny holes in them, he could see his black socks barely poking through. "You can stay with me if you want, Mark lets you sometimes, right?" Hyde nodded slowly. "Mom and Dad agreed, you can stay here until things get settled, if you want."

How could Hyde do that; to be honest, he wanted that more than anything. Living with the Formans was what he originally wanted to do, yet Social Services had to get their government asses involved and make him a fucking ward of the state. He'd just be a burden to the Formans, an extra mouth to feed, a waste of space, a waste of air.

"It's cool I can just-"

"Camp out in Betty?" Donna asked, pointing to the car named after the song "Black Betty". Hyde shrugged and nodded; that was the plan. "That's stupid, stay with Eric."

"I can't," Hyde mumbled quietly, Eric hit him upside the head, causing the younger of the two to glare at his friend, though none of them could see the death glare. "Will you stop it, Forman? I'll be fine. I don't need your help, I can take care of myself... I don't know why I even bothered coming here."

"Because, it's simple," Eric replied, pointing to Kitty and Red who were trying to hide that they were watching the conversation take place, well, Kitty was the one who was actually showing concern. "You think of this place as home." Hyde bit the inside of his lip and gazed down at the concrete, Forman was right. This place was like home to him.

"Fine," Hyde finally growled, Donna and Eric grinned ecstatically, "just one night, so I can figure things out. _That's it_." He more had to tell himself that.

"Whatever you say," Eric replied sarcastically with a smug smile, and Hyde smirked, following his friends close behind as they walked through the sliding glass doors.

_'Fuck. My. Life.'_ Hyde thought, plastering a smile on his face; yep. Everything was cool.


End file.
